How the hell can a mud-loving cracker like Senator Jesse Helms stand up in front of the United Nations Security Council, insult and threaten them in a speech, parade the half-baked slurs of right-wing extremists, and then claim that he is “speaking on the behalf of the American People” ?
He’s not speaking for me. I don’t recall ever voting in North Carolina.
Uke
Uke…I’m embarrassed for my adopted (and beloved) state. (Of course, as we both know, New York and Ohio have sent some “interesting” people to the Senate and House over the years, too.)
For the record: I have voted in North Carolina. But I moved here after Jesse last ran, in 1996. Nearly half the state’s voters opposed him then. For 2000, we plan to replace “nearly” with “over.”
EEps…that should have read “For 2002…” :o
Oh my! LOL What exactly did Jesse do?
Don’t you know, Ike, that all politicians speak on your behalf; for your own good or the good of others?
You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims. -Harriet Woods-
Poly:
I didn’t mean to flame North Carolina…and I’ll be the first in line to call Alphonse d’Amato a National Embarrassment.
But this Helms thing really burns my ass…it’s one thing to be a loony reactionary crank with a puss like a slightly melted frog, ANOTHER to claim to be speaking the collective minds of the USA while addressing the United Nations in a disrespectful and hostile manner.
Another clarification: I DON’T regard the UN as the Holy of Holies and Last Hope of the World. But it IS a group of representatives of most of the nations of the planet, and I don’t want to run into one of them in a bar and have him punch me in the mouth because I’m one of them Americans Helms says he’s speaking for.
Uke
It’s my understanding the USA pays most of the UN’s expenses.
Helm’s told them to stop supporting Anti-American programs or we won’t pay.
I’m sure the first thing the UN in going to do is incorporate the confederate flag into the UN flag. 
Considering that the Religious Right generally sees the U.N. as the Beast from the Book of Revelation, I’m surprised Jesse Helms only told them to stop supporting “Anti-American” programs.
This is a huge pain. They can punch you in the mouth and just skip away merrily, singing “diplomatic immunity.” But if you punch one of the schmucks back, oh, now we’ve created an international incident.
A pox on the UN, and a pox on Helms! I say move the UN to North Carolina! Let Winston or Salem or someplace not collect the traffic tickets for a change.
This message has been brought to you by the committee for “No, there’s not a foreign consulate near me, why do you ask?”
Livin’ on Tums, vitamin E and Rogaine
Raleigh is due to have a Mexican consulate open soon, AFAIK this city’s first exposure to the world of international diplomacy (FKA saying nice doggie while reaching for a big stick). We don’t need the UN.
However, it might make Brian a bit less homesick. How about we trade even-steven, we get the U.N., you get Jesse? 
Deal, Polycarp!
I’m suddenly thinking of that scene in CASABLANCA where Rick says to Major Strasser something along the lines of “There are some neighborhoods in New York that you’d be better off not trying to invade.” The mental image of the Bowery Boys bringing their trusty shillelaghs up against Nazi skull is well nigh irresistable.
The picture of Jesse Helms trying to find his way around Bedford-Stuyvesant is similarly pleasant.
Uke
Deal, Polycarp!
I’m suddenly thinking of that scene in CASABLANCA where Rick says to Major Strasser something along the lines of “There are some neighborhoods in New York that you’d be better off not trying to invade.” The mental image of the Bowery Boys bringing their trusty shillelaghs up against Nazi skull is well nigh irresistable.
The picture of Jesse Helms trying to find his way around Bedford-Stuyvesant is similarly pleasant.
Uke
Deal, Polycarp!
I’m suddenly thinking of that scene in CASABLANCA where Rick says to Major Strasser something along the lines of “There are some neighborhoods in New York that you’d be better off not trying to invade.” The mental image of the Bowery Boys bringing their trusty shillelaghs up against Nazi skull is well nigh irresistable.
The picture of Jesse Helms trying to find his way around Bedford-Stuyvesant is similarly pleasant.
Uke
I SWEAR I only hit the submit button once. But it took about four minutes to transmit.
Deal? Aw, jeez, Uke. I was gonna try to get Polycarp to accept 25 cops of our choosing and a Senator to be elected later as part of the deal.
Livin’ on Tums, vitamin E and Rogaine
kknick34
" It’s my understanding the USA pays most of the UN’s expenses."
See, kknick34, thats part of the problem with Helms. The US has not exactly been paying it’s UN dues recently because of the fact that Helms(who has some pretty serious seniority) has been blocking the US from paying these dues when it comes up in committee. So, yeah, he really was waaaay out of line with what he said.
If you want to get technical about it, The US is way ahead of what we owe.
If you take our overpayments on peacekeeping agreements and minus our late dues, they still owe us money.
However, they refuse to consider giving us back any money until we pay our dues.
Anyway, I am one American who is happy that someone finally stood up and told the UN to stick it. Just let one of those socialist clown try and punch me in the mouth at some bar.
I am tired of the rest of the world feeling like we “owe” them something. The UN is one of the worst things we ever got involved with.
Get the US out of the UN.
I think that to do that, we’d have to cede a certain block of New York City…
As for Mr. Helms, I can understand some of his points of view- the UN goes around bashing the U.S. then turns around and asks why we aren’t paying the lion’s share of it’s funding (I don’t agree, but I can understand)… but I think that Helms saying he speaks for ‘every American’ is akin to what Elian Gonzalez’ grandmother is saying right now- that her daughter cannot truly be at peace until Elian is returned to Cuba. Right. Your daughter died trying to get her son into the U.S., but after having gone to Heavan and realized it was a Communist paradise, her spirit really needs Elian to go back to Cuba. Riiiight.
JMCJ
Just confirming that my ass is, in fact, the wisest part of my body.
I’m with you on this one, Freedom. I’m not sure about overpayments (but it wouldn’t surprise me), but I have heard that other countries who agreed to help bear the cost of us using our military and weapons, HAVE NOT reimbursed us. Until this has been reconciled, the UN should not get one single dime. If anything is owed from last year then it should be paid and then, we tell them goodbye.
While Helm’s couldn’t be my choice, I guess it took a southerner to take a stand.
You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims. -Harriet Woods-
I think they should pass out chisels to every American who wants the US out of the UN and the UN out of the US.
Give us a month. I am betting there are enough of us willing to swing sledgehammers and chisels to push that block right back into the ocean.
OTOH…
It would be pretty spectacular if they hired that company that demolished the hotel in Las Vegas for TV. We could have a National Holiday where we literally get the UN out of the US!!!